“I’ve had students come up to me after class or on our last day of the program and tell me how much they want to go to university,” Champagne said. The science outreach program has been running for more than 10 years with the goal of opening doors for students who might want to get into the sciences after high school. “I think this program is one of the most amazing things to happen in Saskatoon because it really is giving them a taste of the different aspects of science,” Champagne says. She says being a role model for students is rewarding. Micaela Champagne is one of the science outreach instructors and is taking her masters in archeology. One thousand students have taken part this year. Instructors go into 40 classrooms around the city engaging both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students with.
#Unique learning code#
“Symbols correlate to a sound in Cree so the science part comes in where the students use the star chart as a key or cypher to unlock a code of syllabics,” Longjohn said. One of the main components is teaching Plains Cree. The U of S program brings Indigenous teachings to the elementary science classroom. “It’s looking at it from different angle so we’re able to combine Indigenous languages with a science lesson,” Cree Longjohn, science outreach coordinator, told CTV News. They learn Cree in science class by using a star chart. Students are being given a chance to learn the Cree language in Saskatoon schools thanks to a University of Saskatchewan program.